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AB 2330

Public health: cold spas and cold plunge tubs.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Tasha Boerner

AB 2330 expands regulation to include cold spas and cold plunge tubs under public pool safety rules, defining standards, safety requirements, and enforcement.

In committee: Held under submission.
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Bill Summary · AB 2330

Summary of AB 2330 (2025-2026) — Public health: cold spas and cold plunge tubs

Purpose and intent

AB 2330 seeks to expand California’s public health and safety framework for aquatic facilities by specifically including cold spas in the definition of “public swimming pool” and by establishing new, targeted regulations for two related, separate facilities: cold plunge tubs and cold spas. The bill aims to clarify regulatory status, construction/operational standards, and safety requirements for these facilities, while distinguishing them from traditional public pools.

Key provisions and changes

  • Definition expansion

    • Expands the statutory definition of a “public swimming pool” to include cold spas.
    • Adds separate definitions for:
    • “Cold plunge tub”
    • “Cold spa”

  • Cold plunge tub (new Section 116026)

    • A cold plunge tub is an aboveground, individual-use therapeutic tub designed for brief immersion.
    • Temperature: Maintained between 35°F and 60°F via a mechanical chiller.
    • Features: Mechanical recirculation and an automatic disinfecting system (chlorine or bromine; ozone or UV may be used as a secondary option).
    • Use restrictions: Not for swimming or general recreational bathing.
    • Operations: Drained at end of each operating day and filled at the start of the next.
    • Location: Must not be placed or used within the same enclosure as a public pool or spa.
    • Signage: Prominently posted with at least 1-inch, high-contrast letters declaring that the tub is not regulated as a public swimming pool and use is at the user’s own risk.
    • Regulatory status: Not considered a public swimming pool; not subject to the construction or sanitation standards applicable to public pools under the Health and Safety Code.

  • Cold spa (new Section 116027)

    • A cold spa is an in-ground public swimming pool designed for brief therapeutic or recovery immersion, kept at 35°F–60°F using a chiller or other approved method, and capable of serving multiple users at once.
    • Regulation: Cold spas are subject to applicable spa/spa pool construction and operation requirements from:
    • Article 2.7 (Section 115950 and related) of the Health and Safety Code
    • Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations
    • Title 24 of the California Building Standards Code
    • Exceptions: Unlike traditional spas, cold spas are allowed to operate without a water jet system or aeration system, provided the temperature is maintained via a chiller or other approved method.

  • Enforcement and penalties

    • The bill expands the scope of criminal liability to cover the new definitions and requirements, resulting in a state-mandated local program in line with existing practice for public pools.
    • Maintains that violations can be treated as misdemeanors with associated penalties.

  • ** Fiscal and reimbursement note**

    • The bill states that no state reimbursement is required for local agencies/school districts for costs arising solely from creating/defining these new offenses or changing penalties or definitions.

Who is affected

  • Public and private operators of public swimming pools and related facilities (as they must regulate, construct, and maintain cold spas and cold plunge tubs under new definitions and standards).
  • Health officers and local jurisdictions (enforcement of the updated standards and potential penalties for violations).
  • Consumers and users of cold plunge tubs and cold spas (clear indications about regulatory status, use at own risk, and safety expectations).

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Status and history
    • Introduced February 19, 2026.
    • Referred to health-related committees with subsequent amendments and hearings through spring 2026.
    • Amended and re-referred to the Assembly Committee on Appropriations (suspense file) with prior Health Committee consideration.
  • Effective date and implementation
    • The bill text indicates regulatory and definitional changes would become operative under the Health and Safety Code sections as amended/added, subject to standard implementation timelines for regulatory compliance and local enforcement.
  • Constitutional note on costs
    • Explicit statement that no reimbursement is required under California law for local agencies for these new or altered penalties/definitions (i.e., no mandated local cost reimbursement under Article XIII B).

Practical implications

  • Operators of cold plunge tubs must ensure proper mechanical cooling, recirculation, automatic disinfection, and daily drainage/filling cycles.
  • Cold plunge tubs must be clearly separated from any enclosure containing a public pool or spa and appropriately signed.
  • Cold spas, while regulated similarly to spas/spa pools, can operate without certain heated-water features (jet/aeration) if cooling is used to maintain the cold temperature, aligning with the “cold” concept.
  • The broader inclusion of cold spas within the public pool umbrella may bring more oversight and potential enforcement actions for facilities previously outside the regulatory scope.

This summary provides the bill’s core purpose, the substantive provisions, who is affected, and the key procedural notes for AB 2330. If you’d like, I can compare this proposal to current California regulations or provide a side-by-side of what changes if the bill becomes law.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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